1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a gasket applied to an eco-friendly vehicle; and, particularly, to a gasket mounted between power modules for separating a coolant passage, which has both a function to separate a coolant passage and a function to prevent a coolant leak.
2. Discussion of the Related Technology
An eco-friendly vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle generates power through a drive motor, and includes the drive motor and power modules, such as inverters, LDCs (Low DC/DC Converters), and high-voltage batteries, to power the drive motor.
Since such power modules have heating elements such as a variety of switching elements, transformers, and IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar mode Transistors), there is a need for a cooling device to cool heat generated by operations of the power modules.
A water cooling device and an air cooling device are applied depending on a position in the vehicle. For example, the water cooling device is applied to a so-called engine room in the front of the vehicle, whereas the air cooling device is applied to a trunk room in the rear of the vehicle.
The water cooling device, which circulates a coolant, is applied to the power modules such as the LDCs and the inverters mounted in the front of the vehicle. For the purpose of size reduction of the cooling device, an improvement in cooling efficiency thereof, and the like, a cooling passage is shared between two power modules which are arranged adjacent to each other.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, cooling passages are respectively formed on a lower surface of an LDC 10 and an upper surface of an inverter 20, and then a passage separation plate 130 is mounted between the cooling passages. Subsequently, the LDC 10 is bonded to the inverter 20 by applying a sealant 140 on an interface surface therebetween. A coolant introduced from the outside flows through the cooling passage formed on the lower surface of the LDC 10 and the cooling passage formed on the upper surface of the inverter 20, which are separated up and down by the passage separation plate 130, and is then gathered to be discharged to the outside. Consequently, it may be possible to obtain an increase in optimization and efficiency. Here, the cooling passage formed on the upper surface of the inverter 20 may be provided with a heat radiation fin, and cooling passage formed on the lower surface of the LDC 10 may also be provided with a heat radiation fin, as shown in FIG. 1.
However, according to a seal structure of the cooling passage in the eco-friendly vehicle of the prior art as described above, operation pace is deteriorated by sealing the cooling passage using the sealant 140 which needs a considerable time during curing after being applied on the interface surface, also it is difficult to eliminate the sealant 140 at the time of generation of seal failure. Therefore, there is a problem in that the LDC 10 or the inverter 20 is easily damaged in the course of eliminating the sealant 140, and thus the damaged LDC 10 or inverter 20 should be discarded.
In addition, there is a need to precisely seat the special passage separation plate 130 between the LDC 10 and the inverter 20, and this is performed separately from the seal operation using the sealant 140. Accordingly, the operation to mount the passage separation plate 130 is additionally involved, thereby deteriorating operating efficiency.